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Thursday, October 27, 2011

I made these scary Monster Eyes out of inexpensive paper lanterns from Michael's. A quick and easy project to make with the kiddos!

Using Americana Paints by DecoArt, paint a large green circle with Pistachio Mint, a smaller circle with Lamp Black and top coat with Twinkles Lime Green. A Red Sharpie does the trick to make the eyes blood shot!

Create multiple sets in different colors and hang them from your trees and bushes in the front of your house for a scary Halloween night!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

My niece, Lindsay, simply LOVES all of the Dr. Seuss books, so several years ago for Halloween she decided to be the Cat in the Hat. We we trying to figure out what she would carry as a candy bucket and while reading the book, she annouces "Aunt Beth, you need to make me a fishbowl with Norval inside!"

After looking at all of the fishbowls on the market and deciding that glass was not a good option, I noticed the black witches cauldron sitting on my kitchen counter and realized it had the same shape as a fishbowl.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

I have made these recycled light bulbs into snowmen and Easter rabbits in the past, but also thought they would be cute as Jack-o-Lanterns!

LOVE the way they turned out!

Start off with Americana paints by DecoArt and base coat the lightbulb with Jack-O-Lantern Orange and the screw top part with Mink Brown. Sponge on Canyon Orange to define the pumpkins ribs and Country Red for the cheeks, let dry. Draw on the face with a Sharpie marker and accent with dots of Titanium White using the blunt end of your paint brush. Paint a wooden star with Moon Yellow and write BOO! Glue lightbulb on small grapevine wreath. Knot the center of a piece of green checkered fabric, glue to "stem" and glue star on top. Set him on a shelf or give as a gift!

Monday, October 17, 2011

I am always so honored when Eileen Hull asks me to participate in her new release hops and this time around is probably the most exciting one to date! The new Fresh Vintage line is a fantastic series of dies - I honestly don't know how Eileen keeps coming up with these amazing ideas. Today's featured die is the Scoreboard Bird. It's a fun, trendy 3D bird that can be cut out and put togehter quickly from a great variety of surfaces!

I received a box full of product from Melissa Frances which inspired me to put a shabby chic spin on my design.

I carry a sketchbook around with me every where I go to jot down ideas, insiprations and sketches that eventually morph into more formal drawings and finished designs. Here is the sketch that inspired my project today.

Now on to my project!

Start with a 12" Styrofoam wreath form. Cut twelve 1" strips from Melissa Frances Simone, Alma, Esther and Anastasia papers, so you end up with 48 paper strips. Crumple the strips, straighten them out then sew all strips together (end to end) while folding the paper to create one long paper "ribbon".

Glue one end of the paper ribbon to the wreath and wrap completely until fully covered. Wrap sections of tulle, Melissa Frances ball fringe and crocheted lace randomly around the wreath.

Cover two 5 1/2" by 5 1/2" piece of ivory mat board from the Sizzix Little Sizzles Mat Board Pack with Mod Podge a layer of crocheted lace, let dry. Die cut bird twice, once with lace up and once with lace down using the Sizzix Big Shot machine, punch out pieces.

Cover a 3" Styrofoam ball with vintage atlas paper, let dry. Cut a 20" piece of heavy wire, slide through the Styrofoam ball, then glue bird bodies together with wire in the center. Use a button at the bottom of the Styrofoam ball, looping the wire back through the button hole to secure. Insert wire through the top and bottom of the wreath and bend back in a "U" to secure.

Create a "PEACE" pennant with Melissa Frances Attic Treasures sticker book and glue to back of bird by beak. Create a "ON EARTH" banner and glue to the front of the Earth. Die cut a Sizzix Originals Die - Mistletoe from silver glitter paper and color with green Copic Marker, then trim and glue to beak. Embellish with Melissa Frances Resin Crown and Pearls.

Would you like a chance to win the Fresh Vintage Flower Layer #9 die? All you have to do is head over to the Oh My Crafts! Blog and answer a question about today's blog hop to enter! It's that easy! To continue on the Fresh Vintage Blog Hop, please use the widget on my right sidebar and click Back or Forward - you will continue along through the other designers' blogs that are highlighting this fantastic Scoreboard Bird die. Join us every Tuesday and Thursday until November 3rd for tons of great ideas from a talented group of Designers. Thanks to the incredibly talented Eileen Hull for putting together such an inspiring hop!

Friday, October 14, 2011

I have seen versions of these Spiderwebs all over the Internet recently and wanted to create a few, so I made a set!

I started out with three embroidery hoops and three crocheted lace pieces that I found at my local craft store. Here's where you can experiment with the size and shape of your lace. I wanted my circles to line up, so I pulled and stretched the lace from the back until it was taught. Tighten the screw at the top of the hoop with pliers. Trim the extra pieces from the back - I ended up with some perfect scalloped pieces that I plan on using in another project.

I created three scary spiders from large buttons I found in my Buttons Galore and More Grandma's Grab Bag stash. Cut a 12" chenille stem in four equal pieces, fold each in half and glue two on each side of the back of the button to create eight legs. Attach colored rhinestone eyes - I used green, orange and purple on my spiders.

Glue each spider on to their web, or hang from a length of black ribbon. Hang your finished spiderwebs by looping a 24" length of black ribbon through each screw at the top of the embroidery hoop.

These spiderwebs with button spiders were really quick and easy to create in just a few hours and would make excellent and inexpensive gifts to give for Halloween.

To begin, I cut four 10" strips of the pink and black zebra Duct Tape with the 8" Titanium Scissors, using the Westcott Cutting Mat. I layered the first two over my peate pot in a criss cross pattern, then notched and ripped the other two in half length-wise. I continued to criss cross the lengths of Duct Tape until the entire surface was covered. Tuck and secure all of the ends inside the pot.

I then cut a 20" length of black Duct Tape and folded the length up about two thirds on to itself. Using a gather and secure technique, I created a ruffle around the opening of the pot. Cut away any excess.

I then cut twenty lengths of hot pink Duct tape each 20" long and placed two lengths together, sticky side in. I notched each of my ten strips six times along the width with the 8" Titanium Scissors and ripped to create 70 smaller strips. I laid 69 of the strips out and used the last strip to secure the bundle in the center.

Fold the bundle of strips in half and secure to the inside of the pot with hot glue. I then painted a 1" wooden ball knob with Americana paint by DecoArt in Lamp Black and gave it some pop with Sparkle Top Coat. Secure to top of pot with hot glue.

Finally cut two 24" lengths of hot pink Duct Tape and place them sticky sides together to create one strip. Place the Velcro sticky back hook and loop tape on the ends and secure around your curtain. Attach the completed Tassel to the Tie Back with additional Velcro sticky back hook and loop tape.

This is the FANTASTIC giveaway for October (for US residents only please), provided by Westcott:

Click on the link above to enter to win and it will take you to the Westcott® blog where you can comment on your favorite projects from this challange. The winner will be announced November 1st. You can also get an extra chance to win by leaving a comment about the hop on the Westcott Facebook Fan Page.

Make sure to hop round the ring first to see what everyone else came up with by cliking on the HOP FORWARD or HOP BACKWARD link in the Designer Crafts Connection blinkie on my right sidebar!